Not-So-Casual Sex: Study Shows Hookups Can Harm Mental Health

The report outlines studies showing both positive and negative mental health effects from casual sex. For example, one study in 2008 found that 57 percent of women were glad they hooked up the morning after.

However, another study showed that feelings during a hookup don’t necessarily match feelings several days after. In a 2002 study, 35 percent of the participants felt regretful or disappointed after a hookup, yet 65 percent of participants also stated that they felt “good, aroused or excited” during the actual act.

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